Wednesday, December 30, 2009

I never showed you what I was working on when I sewed through my fingertip, did I?

It was definitely one of the most "Oh, %#*@!" moments of my life.

Anyhoo, it finally grew out. And it really never hurt too much. So today, after Emma was reunited with mom, dad, puppie and her own room, I broke out the wine, the chocolates the kids brought me, and took down the GrungeboardI had been sewing that day.

The GB has been run through the Cuttlebug,Distress Inked, and sprayed with the Mini Misters and Perfect Pearls. Then I cut it into pieces and sewed like a patchwork quilt and zig-zagged with smoke colored nylon thread.

It definitely was fun.....until the blood started to flow!!!!!!!!! Ha!

More snow here tonight, can't wait for Anaheim and warmer weather at CHA!

P.S. I hear from a little birdie that TSShas some FABULOUS new colors coming out soon......stay tuned!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

We've had Emmafor the last couple of days. Never a dull moment, never a pause in the conversation. She could be singing, or babbling, or asking a question, or just making nonsense noise.... but there is never a break in her voice. Seriously.

If she's quiet, she's either asleep or into something!!!! See the shorter hair over her right ear? That's a result of her giving herself a haircut....but not on my watch!

She played in the snow with Poppie. And she made metal Butterflies with me in the Studio.Her very own design of course.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas has come and gone.....the leftovers are dwindling down in the fridge, the snow has fallen and been blown away several times....and I'm trying to reorganize my studio. Lots of stuff for the Girl Scouts!!!!

My son and his wife. Parents of the 2 youngest grandkids. Finally got a good picture of them. Got one last year of my daughter and her husband. You can't have everything all the time.

My oldest Michelle got an BumpIt for Christmas as a gag gift. Erin has one in her hair and is preparing her Aunt Michelle's hair for another one. Fun!!! You should have seen the end results.....Michelle would kill me!!!!!!!

Working on the February Metal class with the wooden box. Should be fun.

Stay warm, and if you have 60 degree weather (Lisa), I envy you...a LOT!!!!!

Friday, December 25, 2009

UPDATE: Yes, Penny there is a Santa Claus....a tutorial for this card is on the Creative Imaginations Blog....jump over there and enjoy!!!!!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. Today will be filled with wrapping paper, children, adults ACTING like children, and wine. Several glasses of wine. Ha!

Love them all and can't wait to get started. Bill has been busy making cookies...his favorite and specialty are Turtle Cookies. They go very fast.

Michelle's birthday cake was soooooo good. German Chocolate andPeppermint Ice Cream on the side. Bill did a great job there, too!

So be well everyone and this is my Christmas Card to all of you...using some Creative Imaginations Papers, Tim Holtz Stamps and Distress Inks, a Creative Cafe card, Embossing Powder and lots and lots of pen marks!!!!

A few Rhinestones were added as a last ditch effort to save the card! Ha! Thanks Linda B for the critique. VERY good point, I must say.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Most everybody who comes to my blog has already been to Tim's, but just in case you haven't...............

GO THERE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I think his new Sizzix Dies are out of this world COOL. And I'm sure you all will, too.So go look, have fun......and enjoy dreaming tonight of all the things you can do with these.Have a Great Holiday....my kids are here, and we've been shopping and playing games, eating and such until we can't keep our eyes open any longer.Be back soon....................Linda

Monday, December 21, 2009

Well, here it is, only 4 days until Christmas, and I got an early present the other night from Massachusetts!

Cheryl Mezzetti called me and asked if would be interested in becoming a member of theirDesign Team for Creative Imaginations!!!!Can you believe it????I met Cheryl when we both were teaching in St. Louis and she is an absolute Sweetheart. This is going to be soooooo exciting!!!!! I spent a bit of time with the fabulous CI group at CHA in Florida, and I can tell you, they are some of the most wonderfully talented, fun, and down to earth people you will ever meet. Loved them!They have just gotten so many new products added to their line. OMG!!!!! Too exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Luminarte is just one......can you imagine??????? I can't wait to get my hands on some more of these things!!!!!!And of course you who have taken my classes know how I feel about theirSuper Seal...I mean it is truly amazing for saving all the projects you put you time and heart into.So, let's get crackin'! Bring it on.....we are ready to ROCK with CI!!!!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

We're home again!!! Had great weather, good food, fantastic shows where I laughed till the tears were rolling down my face, and some sucessful shopping! What more could one ask for????

The RiverWalk was a good place to try out the speed on my new camera. Not too bad. Love those big deer down there with the Christmas wreaths around their necks. The water fountain is always beautiful. And the gardens were still beautiful.

New shoes, jeans, a top, and a wonderful Santa to sit on the mantle with the others in my collection.

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A couple of Honors came to the "kids" in the family this weekend......

Jeff, our son the HS Band Director was named to the 50 Music Directors That Make a Difference in the US...he represents Illinois in the SBO magazine. We're quite proud of him, and all his kids and his staff. Remarkable people one and all.

Then Alex, our only grandson, and his partner got 2nd in the finals at the Speech competition at Rochelle this weekend. His first year with this.

And Erin, had a great soccer game tonight....they won 6-0, and she followed in her dad's footsteps with a shutout period as goalie! Good job, ERIN!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

I know you guys have been following Tim's 12 Days of Christmas...right??? And who wouldn't???

Although I've been drooling like the rest of you, I haven't taken the time to make one yet.

Sooooooo, after working a week with Beeswax, and UTEE, and dabbing the fingers with toothpaste (thank you Suze) and Foille (a miracle drug), I think I've figured out how to keep all ten out of the band-aid box!!! Fun stuff everyone!!!

You have GOT to try it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, after looking at Tim's latest, I remembered a strip of film tape I had glued little faces on when I first got it. BONUS!!!! It was already donewith little faces from Paper Imagery Designs. But I never figured out what to DO with it. And a Christmas tag was just the place for it after seeing Tim's tag today.

So I thought I'd share the process with you as my Christmas Gift to my bloggers.

Here ya go!!!

1. I started with the ususal tag and addedOld Paper Distress Inkall around the whole tag. AddedAged Mahoganyto all but the center, some Brushed Corduroyand then heat set.Must heat set or EP will stick everywhere!!!

2. Then I used Tim'sedge stamp from the Rockstar set to ink with embossing ink, and add Lettuce Adirondack embossing powder. Before using heat tool, brush off around the tag edges for a random tattered edge...it looks a bit more vintage that way. ILOVE this stamp done with the green EP!!!!!

3. Using Sepia Archival ink and the Fabulous Flourish, stamp the entire tag even over the EP. Lightly heat set again and it's good to go. The sepia ink is so cool over the lettuce EP. (Open center is for Christmas Carols stamp.)

4. Distress the edge and add my personal favorite, Black Soot Distress ink. Could not live without this ink!!!! Makes all the colors POP!

5. From the Mini Holidays I stamped the Christmas Carols and Pine Bough around the edge in Black Archival ink.

6. I used Tombow markers to add red and grey shadows to the stamped images.

7. The Film Strip is glued to chipboard and then glued to the tag. 3 glittery star brads go down the side...hard to see the sparkle here.

8. The little bulbs are tied together with red embroidery floss and the gold wire ribbon is tied and scrunched for a vintage look. The floral embellishment is cut from a larger piece I found at Jeffrey Alan's. I liked the snow on them. Glue in place. If the leaf sticks, it's all good!

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And there you have it. Thanks to everyone who stops by, especially those who leave a comment. It's no fun talking to yourself!!!!

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We're off for a few days vacation where it's a bit warmer....good food, some shows, and no snow.

Monday, December 7, 2009

After a trip to the local friendly PO, I found I could ship the kits for 1/2 the price I thought! I should have told those who couldn't comment to email me at cain81@mtco.com. Sorry about that.Good News, eh? (Got an email from my Canadian friend Lori and it reminded me of her wonderful inflection! A meetup is on for CHA!)

So in the U.S. they can go for $49.95. I sound like a commercial. This, too, can be yours for the low, low, price of ONLY $49.95. Ha!

Each kit has a full sheet of instructions, a G45 tags sheet (you only use 14 of the 36, so plenty of extras), a color picture of each section of the collage, everything you see to make the wall hanging, and a few little extra pieces thrown in. Over 75 pieces in all!!!

And thank you, thank you to all the girls who ordered them. They will go out this week!

Linda

UPDATE: OK! I had to make up some more kits, so there are plenty again. And made a trip to the PO for more boxes. They are so good to me there. I'm just sayin'........email me at cain81@mtco.com and we'll get you set up.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

We had a great time and made some wonderful Christmas Memories to hang on the wall. They were all terrific, and I remembered to use my camera this time.~

Sorry gals on the other side of the classroom....I must have gotten distracted and didn't get your pictures...

And some were the Friend'z gals..DUH!

Fabulous job!

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Linda Broom and Kathy sharing a moment. Cheryl and Sheila hard at work. (We also had a tiny visitor in class....with 4 legs, quiet as a mouse!!!)

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~MargaretREALLY did a great job, and plans to make more...good for her!

~We sanded more than a bunch of carpenters on our papers. But after the hard work was done, the rest came together a little easier.

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Thanks to everyone who came to the class. And those with the kits, just let me know if you have any questions.....I'm a visual person myself, and the written word sometimes needs a little clarification!!!!

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There are only 3 kits left. Let me know if you want one.

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Decided to go to CHA-W....gotta see all the new things. Might be something special there! Should be a great show. Tim's classes are full, imagine that.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Just got an email from Lori who was in my Christmas Wall Hanging class. She used some of the many leftovers from the class to make this adorable little tree!

(I snagged her photo from her blog.) AND there's a tutorial on just how to do it!!! BONUS!

Absolutely Stunning! I LOVE it!!!! You must go take a look at her blog here.

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On another note, we went to Springfield yesterday with friends to see the Lincoln Museum. It's the Bicentennial year of Lincoln's birth. If you ever get in the neighborhood it is really wonderful. I have been to a lot of museums, but this one is elegant.

The shot above is of the Lincoln family with John Wilkes Booth leaning on the pillar to the left. You enter and see the White House as it was in Lincoln's time.

You visit the kitchen as well as the Cabinet Room. There are wax figues as well as real people in period dress. It's hard to tell the difference. This is where Lincoln announced his Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet.

And right now it is dressed up for Christmas.

The wax figures are remarkable. This is the one of Mary Todd Lincoln as you see her from the entrance to the White House that is 95% of the true measurements as it sits in the round museum.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Talked to Scrapbook Friend'z, there are only a couple of seats left for the Christmas Wall Hanging class on Sat......be there. This class is the most fun yet. This is only 2 of the 5 sections we make. PAS girls loved their works of ART.

I gotta admit. Lots of extras in the kit for more Christmas magic and door prizes to add to that list!!!!

Don't forget to go to Tim's blog and see his first Christmas Tag tonight!!! The 1st of 12 Days of Christmas.

I'm sure it will have all kinds of goodies and give-aways going on there. He is a Santa in and of himself.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Have I told you how talented my GKs are?????? And we have so much fun when they are here.

Brit made this headband, but she wouldn't let me take a full picture of her, bad hair after hours of shopping! See the TSS metal butterflies on the Basic Grey ribbon? TOO COOL! Her design!

Alex's bracelet is the Black and White one with the lace ties, Erin's has the spinner, Brit made the tin with Ten Second Studio metal and Alcohol Inks, and the other bracelets for friends are hers, too.

I show you the backs of the bracelets because we had to enlarge them for boys, and we used a strip of GP in a loop on one, and a hinge of GB on the other.

Then this email arrived from mattmars showing 3 bracelets done with great texture!!! Thanks Dolly!

I made up three of the grunge board bracelets in different colors for my nieces and my nephew....I have to fix the red one...thought I had caught the grunge enough to get away with it but I guess not LOL That's okay...more playing with ink :)Thought I would send you a peek.

Don't you LOVE them???

I had a fun day Wednesday......decided to try sewing some more Grungepaper. That was fun until I pushed too hard and ended up with the needle in the end of my fingernail!!!!

Yes, you know how you react when someone hits something with their car and they say they "hit the gas instead of the brake somehow?" And you say, "yeah, right, who does that?"

I'm here to tell you, you panic. I thought the way to get the needle out of my finger was to hit the footfeed. Guess what? It wasn't all the way DOWN yet.

Therefore......it went even deeper. Amazingly, it was fine. Really, it bled, but no pain after a few times on the ice.

And the funny thing, I had sooooo much blue and red ink on my fingers that I thought I had put the needle all the way through. There was red ink on the bottom in a blotchy pattern.

So I was just relieved to know I didn't put it all the way through.....

Friday, November 20, 2009

The sun is shining, my kits for tomorrow and beyond (sound like Buzz Lightyear) are DONE!!! YEAH!

I even got some Christmas shopping done for "the Watercolor Chicks." BONUS!

And I want to thank everyone who's ordered the GrungeBoard Wallet kits from the bottom of my heart!!!! You guys are the best. And Busy Betty, it was all because of you.

As I've said before "Friends in ART" are THE BEST...don't cha know?

Soooooooo, tomorrow is Judy and Annette and Terri and all the other wonderful people at Prairie Art Stamps. It's really gonna be fun. This kit has a billion (well maybe just 60) pieces in it!!! And TONS of left overs to make other things. I LOVE it!

And thanks to Mickie (Michelle Ann) my daughter, we got the biggest part of it done when they came down on Sabbatical. Love you, Mick!

Gonna retire to the sunroom with a Chai Tea and some Raspberry cookies...what's a girl to do????

Be Well.And don't forget to send me pics of the Bracelets you make from the tutorial yesterday and your wallets. I'd love to see them!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Busy day here.....shopping, planning, putting down carpeting in the sunroom for winter, kitting, etc, etc, etc.

And Wanda H. my dear friend from Iowa, who writes a great blog with WONDERFUL projects, (check it out) wants to know how to make the Grungeboard Bracelets!!!I thought they were pretty easy and the GKs could make them when they come down for Thanksgiving.

Anybody else want to know how to do them????.....if so, maybe I can get to that tonight or tomorrow after I have time to sit down!!!

Check out your GB supplies, run and get some if you don't have some and pick up some Hitch Fasteners from Idea-ology. That and your inks are about all you will need!

Oh, I also used Tim's long brads and the washers...just to let you know. And a spray fixative to seal.

Back later with the scoop!

LHere we go......This is just a strip of Grungeboard for the base about 1" wide.The length is up to the wrist size plus about an inch to overlap at closure.Then take a strip about an 3/4" wide: cut lengthwise into 3 strips leaving about 1/2 an inch at the end uncut. Distress ink and stamp. Make sure to get the sides inked. Then braid. Hold the one cut end together with a brad. Finish cutting the other end and braid this end. Hold with a brad.Now you add this to the bracelet using the existing brads, and Tim's washers on the back to stabilize. Make sure you BEND the bracelet as you go or it will buckle. Add more brads starting in the middle and work your way out.

Clip the ends of base bracelet with a Zutter 1/2"corner rounder, punch a large hole on one end and clip at 3, 6, and 9 so the hole won't tear and use a small hole on the other end to add a hitch fastener.

Spray with a sealer of your choice. I used Super Seal by Creative Imaginations.

That's it in a nutshell....it took more instructions than I thought it would.....any ?, just email me.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

So much going on here and in my head. But here are a few things I'd like to share with you.....

Busy Betty in California has asked if I'd consider mailing her a GrungeBoard Wallet kit. I had a couple other people asking, so I did some research today.

After a trip to the local Post Office, I found the GB will fit nicely into the small Flat Rate box that ships anywhere in the US for $4.95!

So.....Betty can have her kit sent out by the end of the week. She's getting the kit for $30. With the kit, you can make one wallet and have a choice of the 2 different flowers. Then use the pattern to make more!!! If the other gals that asked about these are interested, email me. cain81@mtco.com You know who you are.~These things are sooooo easy once you figure it out, you could make several for Christmas gifts. Always fun. The girls from Sat. have plans to make several to hold Gift Cards and one will take it clubbing...with ID and some cash. (Mom was there, so she already knows...didn't compromise her here.)

Whatever works..............

Next, we think of making cute or flowery things for girls gifts. But sometimes the boys get overlooked. So I came up with a bracelet designed for the teenage boy in your lives.

This isGrungeBoardand a HitchFastener. Simple, but kind of rugged for the Teen Set...I bounced it of my teenage Grandkids 15 and 17!!!! Ha! Loved them! They can make them at Thanksgiving when they come down!The girls want them, too.

Moving right along.....the class for this Saturday at Prairie Art Stamps has only a couple of seats left. Kits are made and we're ready to go. If you have put off calling, I suggest you call now. We had 19 show up for 16 seats the last time!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Short and Sweet. Here's a little peek at a part of a bracelet I put together with Idea-ology bits. Guess how many pieces of Idea-ology are on this piece...not including the connecting jump rings on the SIDES....

You can do soooooo many things with these pieces. Layer them on each other....put them together.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The ever popular Cheryl and Megan are back with their off the wall Taco Tuesdayvideo!!! You gotta love 'em!

If you remember, last April2nd (yes, nowhere close to Christmas) I showed you an ornament you could make using metal, alcohol inks and various other techniques. The center is with copper. (click on to see better)

Margaret had some great acrylic pieces in the store and wanted a sample. Hence, the Ornament.

TSS shows you their take on this similar idea using Fragments. Take a look at it. It's entertaining and enlightening, to say the least.

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Copyright:The designs or instructions listed on this blog are for personal use only and may not be used, distributed or sold in any form without specific permission from Linda Cain Designs.Thank you for your cooperation.